Biodiesel Adds Value to Minnesota Soybeans

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Energy Group (REG) celebrated the official grand opening of REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant in Minnesota on Monday, with representatives of the state and local community and agriculture industry.

REG President and COO Dan Oh (right) says the plant was shut down in 2008 when economic woes hit the biodiesel industry, but REG felt it was a significant plant that needed to get back in operation. “Think of a gallon of biodiesel in roughly every bushel of soybeans, this is a 30 million gallon biodiesel facility, so that really adds value back to a bean bushel,” Dan told me.

Listen to or download my interview with Dan here. REG President Dan Oh

Pictured here with Dan is Jim Willers, a Minnesota farmer who is a director on the United Soybean Board and a member of the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. Jim says he’s proud of Minnesota’s support of biodiesel and how it in turn supports the local economy. “This plant’s put almost 25-30 people back to work, there’s usually 50 trucks that go through here and the spin off effect from this plant creates almost 2,000 jobs,” he said.

Listen to or download my interview with Jim here. Minnesota soybean farmer Jim Willers

Watch the ribbon cutting below and see photos in the REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant photo album

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Soybean, USB, Video

IFAJ Video

Chuck Zimmerman

Thanks to Bruce Sargent, Farm Boy Productions, for putting together a great video that captures the essence of the 2011 IFAJ Congress.

2011 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by PIONEER Hi-Bred
IFAJ, Video

Scare Tactics

Melissa Sandfort

I like lists. Grocery lists, to-do lists, task lists. There’s something about checking things off my list that gives me a sense of satisfaction. So here’s my list of things I’m afraid of:

Spiders (literally, 7-year old girl screaming scared)
Bees (or any version of something that buzzes)

That’s a pretty short list, but the one on the top is as big as most people’s top 10 list. Much to my displeasure, as we were moving the horse fence in preparation to build our shed, this not-so-little visitor parked himself on one of the corner posts. I wasn’t about to go over and remove the fence wire from that post!

My first reaction was to put a boot in him. My husband stopped me from doing that and I guess he does have a point. They eat bugs. Okay, so what are a few more bugs around here and a few less spiders? I can live with that!

He has since moved his web between two of the wall posts on our shed and I try to keep our son from driving his tractor right through it. I don’t think the spider would do any damage to our son, but since he’s the size of my palm (the spider, not my son), I’m not taking any chances.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Vets Plus Inc., announces the addition of National Account Managers Bryan Kann and Don McKillip to the company’s sales team.
  • The USDA will conduct a referendum on proposed federal marketing order amendments regulating the handling of California, Arizona and New Mexico produced pistachios.
  • The Chilean Avocado Importers Association invites culinary students across the country to sharpen their knives, show off their skills and come up with their most creative avocado dish for a chance to win up to $1,000.
  • The Brazilian National Technical Commission on Biosafety approved the first GMO fully developed in Brazil, transgenic beans resistant to “golden mosaic” virus, which is transmitted by “whitefly.”
    Zimfo Bytes

    Minnesota Soybean Growers to Celebrate Biodiesel Plant Re-Opening

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Minnesota soybean growers will be in attendance Monday at the grand re-opening of a soy biodiesel plant in Albert Lea that was shut down in 2008.

    The Renewable Energy Group (REG) acquired the former SoyMor production facility earlier this year, which is now known as REG Albert Lea, LLC. The company will be celebrating the grand re-opening of the plant with members of the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, as well as state and local dignitaries, on Monday morning.

    Minnesota is a leader in the biodiesel industry, being the first state to require that all diesel fuel contain a two percent blend in 2005, and has since increased to a five percent blend. “Increasing the amount of biodiesel in our fuel allows us to take advantage of a renewable fuel made right here in Minnesota,” said Ed Hegland, former National Biodiesel Board Chairman and Minnesota farmer. “I’m proud to live in a state that is leading energy innovations and taking part in valuable solutions like biodiesel.”

    “With nationwide demand for biodiesel growing steadily through implementation of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) and Minnesota’s continued biodiesel consumption leadership, we expect to quickly ramp up production at REG Albert Lea, LLC,” said REG’s CEO Jeff Stroburg when the purchase of the plant was finalized. “With a foundation in agriculture and expertise in domestically-produced, renewable energy, REG is proud to bring green-collar jobs to this rural economy while supporting ag producers in Minnesota and across the Midwest.”

    REG was already the largest biodiesel producer in the United States and the acquisition of REG Albert Lea brings the REG owned/operated total to more than 210 million gallons per year. REG was the general contractor and manager for the 30 mmgy refined vegetable oil feedstock biodiesel plant which originally began production in April 2005. Distribution of biodiesel at the facility started late last month. REG filed for filed an initial public offering in July.

    Biodiesel, Soybean

    IFAJ Congress Concludes With GMO’s

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The 2011 IFAJ Congress has concluded but I will have a lot more to share over the coming days. It’s late in Niagra Falls, ON, Canada.

    The GMO’s took to the stage tonight for our final entertainment after a concluding banquet with lots of awards. Photos are in the process of uploading which will finish my photo album from this year’s Congress. Feel free to view, share and use.

    2011 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

    Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by PIONEER Hi-Bred
    IFAJ

    USFRA Partners with AgChat Foundation

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The AgChat Foundation (ACF) and the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) have partnered up to help farmers and ranchers share their stories with the general public.

    “The core vision of the AgChat Foundation is to empower farmers and ranchers to share their stories,” said Darin Grimm, Kansas farmer and AgChat Foundation president. “We are excited to partner with USFRA to build and expand those conversations”

    AgChatThe partnership is multi-faceted. USFRA recently sponsored the AgChat Foundation’s Agvocacy 2.0 Conference, which sought to teach farmers and ranchers about using social media platforms and other technology to share their stories with food consumers. USFRA has also committed to an additional sponsorship, which will further the ACF’s ability to have an impact on more farmers and ranchers from across the country.

    Playing to their strengths, the AgChat Foundation will be a key partner in USFRA’s Food Dialogues event on September 22. The event, a simultaneous grouping of four live meetings around the country as well as online participation, will feature a series of different panels discussing different topics in key locations. The goal of Food Dialogues is to answer the questions that Americans are asking about their food. The AgChat Foundation will help engage the online agricultural community through a strategic social media campaign in order to build excitement in the weeks leading up to and during the event. To learn more about Food Dialogues, visit www.fooddialogues.com.

    USFRA

    Biotech and Trade on Minds of Soybean Farmers

    Cindy Zimmerman

    farm progress show 2011One of the many farmer leaders who stopped by the media tent at Farm Progress show was Steve Wellman, a soybean producer from Syracuse, Nebraska who is First Vice President of the American Soybean Association (ASA). I chatted with Steve about some of the issues on his mind these days.

    At the top of the list is approval of biotech traits to help increase production to meet growing world demand. “When biotech traits were first introduced about 20 years ago, it took 18 months to get through the approval system here in the U.S. Now it takes four years,” Steve says. ASA and the National Corn Growers Association held a joint conference with other stakeholders the week after FPS to discuss actions the industry could take toward getting timely regulatory clearances for biotech traits and avoid trade disruptions.

    Listen to or download my interview with Steve here. Steve Wellman at FPS 2011

    2011 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    AgWired Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland GROWMARK Trellis Growing Systems
    ASA, Audio, Biotech, Farm Progress Show, Soybean

    IFAJ Group Pose

    Chuck Zimmerman

    This afternoon the full IFAJ Congress group got together on the lawn in front of our hotel for a photo.

    I’d like to thank our photographer, Martin Schwalbe of Guelph ON. He used my camera to take a photo for me! Now we have some free time until our closing banquet.

    2011 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

    Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by PIONEER Hi-Bred
    IFAJ

    IFAJ In Niagra Falls

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Niagra Falls welcomed the IFAJ Congress starting late yesterday afternoon. Here’s one of my best shots of the falls from a walk I took this morning. I’m still drying out after walking through the spray that swirls up and wherever the wind is blowing.

    This morning we had a program on sustainability and farm journalism. I’ve been to too many discussions on the subject and used most of that time to see the sights. I think I just added about 70 photos of the falls to the photo album.

    In a little while we’re all getting together for a group photo in our IFAJ hockey shirts. Activities conclude with this evening’s banquet and entertainment. However, my coverage won’t be concluded. I’ll have a number of interviews and stories to share in the next week. Tomorrow will be a full day of travel home.

    2011 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

    Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by PIONEER Hi-Bred
    IFAJ